Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Publication Date: February 2019
Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Won in a Giveaway
Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.
Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.
Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.
As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…
But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.
One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.
I certainly didn't completely hate Slayer. I watched Buffy back when it was first airing (Yes, I'm that old!) and loved it. I still rewatch it on occasion, so it was fun to get back into a familiar world, and all the references to events and people from Buffy helped to anchor that. There were some fun jokes, and I liked a few of the side characters. The story had potential too. (No pun intended.) However, it didn't completely come together for me. It felt very middle grade, with characters coming across younger than the 16-19 they were supposed to be. I found it hard to care about Nina, who was whiny at times, and I thought the ending was a bit of a cop-out. Buffy does make a brief appearance, but I didn't really hear her voice in the dialogue. It didn't feel like her. It kept me entertained over three nights, and I wouldn't absolutely dismiss reading on in the series, but I do believe it could have been done better. Mostly it left me feeling nostalgic about the original TV show. 3-3.5 stars.
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